Straight beam clamping and like means with adjustable and interchangeable pads



W. DAWKINS STRAIGHT BEAM CLAMPING AND LIKE MEANS WITH ADJUSTABLE AND INTERCHANGEABLE :PADS

May 26, 1953 Flled June 25, 1951 May 26, 1953 Y. B.-w. 'DAwKlNs f 2,639,745

STRAIGHT BEAM CLAMPING AND LIKE MEANS wrm. D

ADJUSTABLE AND INTERCHANGEABLE PADS Filed June 25, 1951 2 -Sheetf-Sheet 2 Patented May 26, i953 STRAIGHT BEAM CLAMPING AND LIKE MEANS WITH ADJUSTABLE AND IN- TERCHANGEABLE PADS Bernard William Dawkins, Southport, England Application June 25, 1951, Serial No. 233,363 In Great Britain May 20, 1950 2 Claims. l

This invention relates to clamps, presses and the like such as are used mainly by cabinet makers or joiners and also engineers, and has for its object to p-rovide means of a universal nature capable of use either as a clamp or press for forcing Wooden or other Work members together or as a jack for forcing working members apart.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is elevation of clamp according tothis invention.

Figure 2 is a View of the right hand end of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are detail end and sectional views respectively.

Figure 5 is an elevation of part of the clamp shown assembled in an alternative form.

Figures 6 and 7 are elevations of cross heads or blocks carrying Work engaging members having pivotal and universal adjustment respectively to adapt them for work engagement and Figures 8 and 9 are plan views of the work engaging members per se as shown in elevation in Figures 6 and 7, respectively.

Throughout the drawings like parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

In carrying the present invention into practice, as shown in the accompanying drawing, the longitudinal members may consist of bars, rods or ythe like but preferably take the form of tubes I in order to give lightness to the structure without loss of rigidity or necessary strength.

Each cross head 2 may conveniently consist of a block having a series of parallel through holes 3 therein suitably spaced apart so that on each cross head 2 engaging a pair of longitudinal members or tubes I by two holes 3 therein a third hole 3 is left available to receive a clamping or work engaging member indicated generally at 4.

The cross heads 2 may be locked to the tubes I in any suitable manner by clamps or the like but in the preferred embodiment of the invention shown the cross heads 2 have smaller holes 5 one to each said parallel hole 3 the axis of the smaller hole 5 being in the same plane but at right angles to its associated larger hole 3 so that a peg 6 may be passed through each cross head 2 and through any one of a series of preferably equidistant transverse holes 1 in the tubes I in order to positively lock each cross head 2 to a tube or tubes I.

The pegs may as shown, be provided with heads 8 and be either split at their leading ends as at 9 (Figure 3) for a friction t through the cross heads 2 and tubes I or threaded at said end to receive a nut III, Figure 2.

Each clamping or work engaging member 4 consists of a pad II or like member such as a disc having a surface suitable for engaging nished work of wood or other material, said pad II being adapted to have a spigotted engagement with a hole 3 and receiving a bolt serving as a threaded shank I2 thereto which extends from the rear of the pad for passage through a hole 3 of a cross head 2 to receive a nut I4 for securing the pad II in position on the cross head, which nut I4 also has a spigotted engagement with the hole 3 for accurate location therein.

In order to enable clamping pressure to be exerted, screw means I5 are provided consisting of an internally threaded bush IB adapted to accurately fit a parallel hole 3 in a cross head 2 and be located therein by means of a head portion I1 at one end and a nut I8 screwing onto an externally threaded part at the other end (Figure 4) or by means of two such nuts I8 at each end. The said bush I6 receives a threaded rod I9 of suitable length which latter carries a knurled or like head 20 keyed thereto to enable the rod I9 to be readily rotated for axial adjustment in the bush I6, which latter is held against rotation in the hole 3 by a key 30 engaging a recess 3| in the cross head 2 (Figure 4).

In employing the means according to this invention as a clamp three cross heads 2 (designated A, B and C in Figure l), are slid onto a pair of tubes I the latter passing through adjacent parallel holes 3 of the cross heads A, B, C', i. e. through central holes 3 and corresponding outer holes.

One endmost cross head A is keyed to the tubes I by pegs 6 and carries by its third parallel hole 3 a clamping pad II whilst the next cross head B is left free to slide on the parallel tubes I and carries a further pad I I opposed to the first mentioned pad. The third cross head C carries the pressure exerting screw means I5 and is adapted to be keyed by means of pegs 6 behind the slidable cross head B for applying iinal clamping pressure to the pad II of the latter.

In use, the slidable cross head B is slid along the tubes I for initially engaging the pads II with the work such as a wooden frame. The lthird cross head C is then keyed behind the slidable cross head B by selection of a suitable peg hole 'I in each tube I whereupon the threaded rod I9 is screwed to abut the end of the shank I2 of the pad II carried by the slidable cross head B, for applying clamping pressure thereto and hence to the work.

In the case of a press the disposition of the three cross heads A, B, C. is similar except that 3 the opposed clamping pads II and pressure exerting screw l are carried by central holes 3 in the cross heads 2 the 'tubes I occupying the outer holes 3 to form with the cross heads 3 a closed structure and Figure 5 shows the cross heads B and C arranged in this latter manner.

When used as a jack for forcing work members apart the disposition of the tubes I relative to the cross heads 2 may be as that described for a press or clamp, preferably the latter. However, the endmost cross heads carry the clamping pads I I, one being pegged and the other slidable whilst the cross head carrying the pressure exerting screw I5 is positioned between the said pad carrying cross heads for pegged location behind the slidable head of the latter.

The means according to this invention may also include a pivotally mounted adjustable pad II (Figures 6 and 8) for engaging work having opposite surfaces that are inclined. Suchv an adjustable pad II may comprise the threadedv shank I2 to receive a nut I4 for iitting in a cross head hole 3 as before, said shank I2 also having a forked head EI receiving a lug 22 on the back of the actual clamping pad II, said lug being held in the forked head 2l by a transverse headed pin 23 receiving a nut 24, tightening ci the latter holding the pad Il in an adjusted position.

In a further development of the above shown in Figures 7 and 9 a universal adjustment of the pad Il is obtained by mounting in the forked head 2l of the shank I2, a lug 25 of a further forked head 25 which, in turn, receives the lug 22 on the back of the pad I I, which latter lug is held in the forked head 26 by a headed pin 2l' receiving a nut 28, the pins 23, 2l' providing at right angles to one another for obtaining universal adjustment of the pad II.

The operative surfaces of the pads II may be faced with suitable material such as rubber to avoid damage to the work and the cross heads 2 may also have lightening holes 29 therein.

I claim:

1. Clamping and like means comprising in combination three cross heads each having at least three identical parallel holes therein, together with peg holes transverse to each said parallel hole; at least two longitudinal members interchangeably engaging two of said parallel holes in each cross head, said longitudinal members having spaced transverse peg holes therein adapted to register with the peg holes in said cross heads; pegs passing through peg holes in two of said cross heads and the two longitudinal members for selectively locking said two cross heads along the longitudinal members whilst the 4 third cross head is left slidable thereon; two work engaging members having shank like parts interchangeably engaging other of said parallel holes in one of said pegged cross heads and said slidable cross head; and pressure exerting screw means interchangeably carried by a said parallel hole in the other pegged cross head for acting upon the slidable cross head carrying a. work engaging member to move the latter cross head along said longitudinal members, the arrangement of said parallel holes in the cross heads permitting alternative interchangeable arrangements of said longitudinal members, work engaging members 'and pressure exerting screw means in engagement with said cross heads for forming a clamp, press, jack or the like as required.

2. Clamping and like means comprising in combination three cross heads each having at least three identical parallel holes therein; at least two longitudinal members interchangeably engaging two of said parallel` holes in each 'cross head; locking means for selectively locking two of said cross heads along the longitudinal mem-- bers whilst the third cross head is left slidable thereon; two work engaging members havingshank like parts interchangeably engaging other of said parallel holes in one of said locked cross heads and said slidable cross head; and pressure exerting screw means interchangeably carried by a said parallel hole in the other locked cross head for acting upon the slfidable cross head carrying a work engaging member to move the latter cross head along said longitudinal members, the ar rangement of said parallel holes in the cross heads permitting 'alternative interchangeable 'are rangements of said longitudinal members, work engaging members and pressure exerting screw ineens in engagement with said cross heads for forming a clamp, press, jack or the like as re'r quired.

BERNARD WILLIAM DAWKINS. nera-ences cited in the sie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 710,544 Wendell hel- 11mm Oct. '7, 1902` 767,876 Eichblatt Aug. 16, 1Q04 927,667 Oilineer 1 July 6, 1909 1,317,439 Goodale 11 Sept. 30, 191.9 1,538,611 Seely -..7 1 May 4, 1926 2,114,390 Lancaster .1 Apr. 19, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Germany Y Feb. 14, 1910 

